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“Papal Transitions Do and Don't Matter”
Categories: In the News, Midweek FR articles
The Catholic pope is unquestionably one of the most powerful religious influences in the world. Of course, his power is as illegitimate as the strange fire offered by Aaron’s sons (cf. Lv. 10:1-3), but it does have enormous impact. And so, when a pope dies and his successor is chosen, it’s worth at least a few moments of consideration from Bible-believing Christians.
Pope Francis reigned (notice that I did not say served) from 2013 to 2025, and his reign will be remembered for a handful of things almost entirely related to his doctrinal liberalism, or at least his doctrinal ambivalence. The popes are considered the successors of the apostles and the authoritative source of all doctrine, which makes the most memorable statement of Francis’ administration all the more memorable: Early on, when asked about his position on homosexuality, he infamously said, “Who am I to judge?” The obvious answer is, “You’re the pope!” And yet, that sort of non-committal response became his usual way. He spent his time hinting that the Church needed to ‘catch up with the times’ and move in a more liberal direction. That, along with the seriously problematic concept of the papacy in general, is how almost all conservative, Biblically-minded Christians will remember him.
Whenever a Pope dies, the next question is always, “What will the next one be like?” And while there’s no way to know, it is worth thinking about.
The new pope—number 267—who has chosen Leo XIV as monarchial title, is a figure largely unknown. He may be a picture of stability, offering little or no change to the Catholic way. Or he may turn out to be noticeably more conservative or more liberal than his predecessor. We, along with the rest of the world, will have to watch and see.
And I think that we should. I think that we’re wise to at least pay attention to their activities, as the Catholic Church does contribute to global events and trends. It is an earthly kingdom with an outsized influence, and if we’re going to be “wise as serpents,” then we shouldn’t put on blinders and just act like it doesn’t exist.
Make no mistake: The pope’s authority is heretical and illegitimate. He is not the mouthpiece of Christ for the modern world. He is not a monarch of Christ’s kingdom on Earth—Christ himself said that he is king, and that his kingdom is not of Earth (Jn. 18:33-37). But it does have great power among religiously-minded people all across the globe, and knowing its trajectory can still help us reach out to them as we try to guide all people to a complete knowledge of the truth. Catholicism is a grand structure built upon a foundation of false teaching, and so we pray for its ultimate undoing. But in the meantime, we pray for it to accomplish some good in the world, no matter how small that may be.
- Dan Lankford, minister
